A 23-year-old man de
scribed by the Bayelsa State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) as a notorious drug peddler has been apprehended by the agency.
The suspect, Loveday Eferebo, said to be on a wanted list for a very long time was nabbed in Yenagoa after months of surveillance.
State Commandant of the Agency Mr Frank Hanachor,  who disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Yenagoa said  “Loveday Eferebo, at the time of his arrest, was found to be in possession of 38.9 grammes of crack cocaine as well as drug distribution paraphernalia, including drug scales among others. This singular feat almost equals the total quantity of cocaine seized in 2013.”
The NDLEA commandant said that, the agency seized a total of 223,168.6kg of different types of hard drugs in 2013, stating that during the period, the NDLEA arrested 249 suspects, comprising 191  males, and 53  female suspects.
According to him, “A comparison of the statistics of arrests and seizures for 2012 and 2013 showed that in 2012, a total of 132.730kg of various hard drugs were seized, while in 2013, a total of 223.168kg of various hard drugs were confiscated. While a total of 219 suspects were arrested in 2012, a total of 249 suspects were arrested in 2013. This shows a marked increase in the rate of arrests and seizures by the state command.”
He told drug dealers or would-be drug dealers that Bayelsa State would have no space for them in 2014 and advised them to desist from such illegal and nefarious trade, restating the preparedness of the command to make the state drug-free.
Meanwhile, Toruebeni/Ekeremor bridge project in Bayelsa State will be completed in March, this year.
The Project Manager of Setraco, the Company handling the project, Mr Kawas said in Ekeremor, that the bridge, which would enhance transportation and development in the area, was over 65 per cent completed.
The project manager said that the company would do everything possible to finish work on the 600-metre bridge by the end of March.
“The bridge is over 65 per cent completed and will be inaugurated in the next two months. It is the bridge leading to Ekeremor and it is going to connect many communities in the state, where we are building roads totaling 325 kilometres,” he said.
He, however, said that the topography of the area was responsible for the delay in completion of the project on schedule, and promised a quality job on it.
Kawas commended the state government for engaging Setraco Construction Company in providing infrastructure in state.
“Roads and bridges are some of the basic needs for economic growth; both the rich and the poor make use of them,’’ he noted.